1997 NFL Rushing Yards Leaders

Yards gained rushing

1997 running backs only → All-time career leaders →

Barry Sanders led the whole NFL in rushing yards in 1997 with 2,053, 303 ahead of Terrell Davis (1,750). It stands 4th among all single seasons in NFL history. It was one of 5 times Barry Sanders led in rushing yards.

YDS TD Y/A ATT Y/G 1D FL

Led the whole NFL in 1997 Barry Sanders DET

2,053 Rushing Yards 303 clear of Terrell Davis

Showing Rushing Yards and the stats that give it context Full stat line

#	Player	Team	YDS	G	ATT	TD
1	Barry Sanders	DET	2,053	16	335	11
2	Terrell Davis	DEN	1,750	15	369	15
3	Jerome Bettis	PIT	1,665	15	375	7
4	Dorsey Levens	GB	1,435	16	329	7
5	Eddie George	TEN	1,399	16	357	6
6	Napoleon Kaufman	OAK	1,294	16	272	6
7	Robert Smith	MIN	1,266	14	232	6
8	Curtis Martin	NE	1,160	13	274	4
9	Corey Dillon	CIN	1,129	16	233	10
10	Ricky Watters	PHI	1,110	16	285	7
11	Adrian Murrell	NYJ	1,086	16	300	7
12	Emmitt Smith	DAL	1,074	16	261	4
13	Marshall Faulk	IND	1,054	16	264	7
14	Raymont Harris	CHI	1,033	13	275	10
15	Garrison Hearst	SF	1,019	13	234	4
16	Jamal Anderson	ATL	1,002	16	290	7
17	Warrick Dunn	TB	978	16	224	4
18	Gary Brown	SD	945	15	253	4
19	Karim Abdul-Jabbar	MIA	892	16	283	15
20	Chris Warren	SEA	847	15	200	4
21	Antowain Smith	BUF	840	16	194	8
22	Natrone Means	JAC	823	14	244	9
23	Fred Lane	CAR	809	13	182	7
24	Bam Morris	BAL	774	11	204	4
25	Terry Allen	WAS	724	10	210	4
26	Charles Way	NYG	698	16	151	4
27	Lawrence Phillips	STL	677	12	201	8
28	Steve McNair	TEN	674	16	101	8
29	Mike Alstott	TB	665	15	176	7
30	Thurman Thomas	BUF	643	16	154	1
31	Tyrone Wheatley	NYG	583	14	152	4
32	Stephen Davis	WAS	567	14	141	3
33	James Stewart	JAC	555	16	136	8
34	Ray Zellars	NO	552	16	156	4
35	Greg Hill	KC	550	16	157	0
36	Charlie Garner	PHI	547	16	116	3
37	Tiki Hakeem-Ah Barber	NYG	511	12	136	3
38	Marcus Allen	KC	505	16	124	11
39	Kordell Stewart	PIT	476	16	88	11
40	Sherman Williams	DAL	468	16	121	2
41	Ki-Jana Carter	CIN	464	15	128	7
42	Mario Bates	NO	440	12	119	4
43	Leeland McElroy	ARI	424	14	135	2
44	Steve Broussard	SEA	418	16	70	5
45	Terry Kirby	SF	418	16	125	6
46	Kimble Anders	KC	397	15	79	0
47	Lamar Smith	SEA	392	12	91	2
48	Jerald Moore	STL	380	9	104	3
49	Donnell Bennett	KC	369	14	94	1
50	Anthony Johnson	CAR	358	16	97	0